The present invention relates to an air bag module, and more particularly to an air bag attachment arrangement that permits the secure mounting of an air bag module without the necessity of separate tools or fasteners.
An air bag module is commonly formed as a separate and independent unit from the steering wheel. The cover, air bag, and inflator are each securely anchored to a base plate of the module such that the module can be installed in the steering wheel as a separate complete module.
Preassembled, inflatable, air bag modules are typically delivered to vehicle manufacturers and then mounted as a unit to a steering wheel along the vehicle assembly line. The module typically fits within a cavity in the steering wheel and is retained therein by clips and/or fasteners.
In a known air bag mounting arrangement weld or press nuts are installed on the air bag module. During assembly, the airbag module is loosely mounted to or placed upon the steering wheel hub and thereafter, fasteners are inserted through designated locations on the steering wheel hub and are engaged with the respective nuts provided on the air bag module. The fasteners are screwed into place to interconnect the air bag module to the steering wheel hub. This can be time consuming and difficult in that the fastener members must be precisely placed through the steering wheel and carefully screwed into place to ensure that the air bag module is properly secured to the steering wheel hub. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a simple yet secure attachment arrangement that requires a minimum of separate fasteners and tools.